Game #2: Minnesota Wild at New York Islanders, Monday October 10, 2011 at 12:00pm (CDT), Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum [GAME PREVIEW]

Welcome to the new incarnation of Wild hockey.  To the media in Denver, Edmonton, Vancouver and any other team out there that has whined for years about the “boring” Minnesota Wild, get over yourselves.  There’s a new sherriff in town, and the Wild are anything but “boring” now.  Between the willingness to shoot and the vast increase in speed we all saw on Saturday night, this is not the same Wild team you naysayers have grown to hate.  Yes it’s extremely early in the regular season, but just remember, we did not have this same kind of start to our regular season last year.  And I’ll take a start like this any day of the week.

And speaking of it being early in the season, I have to admit that early season statistics make me laugh.  In fact, I didn’t think I would even have enough for the Wild.  Yet, when Matt Cullen scored just over a minute into the game, I thought to myself “well maybe they’ll surprise me and give me something to work with.”  It’s a good thing they did, because if you look at the numbers for the often hapless Islanders, their numbers don’t look quite as good.  But that’s what happens when you get shutout during your first game of the season.

Of course if you haven’t heard by now, be aware that Minnesota will be without the services of Pierre-Marc Bouchard until Thursday against Edmonton.  It was determined by head disciplinarian Brendan Shannahan, that Bouchard will be suspended for two games for a supposed “intent to injure.”  Now if we were talking about the Islanders’ Trevor Gillies, I’d agree with him.  However, this is Bouchard, a guy who is generally afraid to go in the corners, and considering his past concussion issues, would be the last person to go head hunting.  But alas, what we as fans think won’t change the mind of those in the league offices.  Plus, considering the number of suspensions already handed out, fans nor Bouchard’s agent, Allan Walsh, should be surprised.

My hope is that the very early start time on a Monday doesn’t throw off the Wild’s momentum.  Personally, I don’t understand why we have matinee games for Columbus Day.  Very few people get the day off any more, and truth be told, it throws everyone off.  I, like most fans will be at work (or school for the younger set).  It’s actually a “holiday” that could and should go by the wayside.  But that’s another story for another day.

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